Cigarette batching apparatus



u y 4, 1970 A. SERAGNOLI 3,520,394

CIGARETTE BATCHING APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1968 SSheetS-Shget 1 IN VEN TOR.

Arioato seragnqli July 14, 1970 A. SERAGNOLI 3,520,394

, CIGARETTE BATCHING APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1968 1 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. A JJ'O seragnoli July 14, 1970' A. SERAGNOLI CIGARETTE BATCHING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 15, 1968 INVENTOR.

////lllllllllll July 14, 1970 A. SERAGNOLI CIGARETTE BATCHING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 15. 1968 United States Patent ()ffice 3,520,394 Patented July 14, 1970 US. Cl. 198-24 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for preparing batches of cigarettes with supervisory functions as to the sorting and transfer of such batches. Grading of the batches prepared is controlled by tactile sensing as to the presence of cigarettes therein.

This invention relates to an apparatus for a first conditioning of cigarettes, and more particularly relates to an apparatus by means of which the cigarettes are gathered in batches, the batches being subjected to control in relation to each cigarette, and the suitable batches being transferred towards successive conditioning phases.

Apparatuses are known which, provided upstream from the cigarette packaging machine, subdivide the cigarettes into batches corresponding to the number of cigarettes which a packet must contain and which then convey the batches towards further devices, in which other phases of the conditioning occur.

In particular an apparatus according to our Italian Pat. No. 803,347 is known, which comprises a multiple hopper which, with the aid of suitable pushers, forms successive layers of cigarettes in containers during the halts of these latter in front of the entrance of the hopper, which containers are displaced carried by a transfer means (chain).

This invention relates high-speed to a cigarette conditioning apparatus of the above-specified class, in which the cigarettes themselves are not subjected to axial stresses being conveyed in manner such that they are arranged transversally to the direction of transfer by trans fer means and which are thus arranged parallely be tween each other.

The most important problem in such apparatuses is that of causing the cigarettes, without rough compulsion, to assume a side-by-side arrangement on the bottom of the hopper, in manner such that, when they are pushed from the said hopper bottom into the space of the respective container, they are not unduly crowded. This crowding which may be produced in known apparatuses results in stresses being exercised on the tip portions of the most lateral cigarettes of each layer formed at the entrance of the hopper. This needless to say is deleterious.

The main object of this invention is that of resolving this problem and eliminating the lamented disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is that of controlling the regularity and suitability of the cigarettes forming each batch, of rejecting the incomplete batches, and if necessary of giving the transfer means an intermittent movement in which during the stops certain feeding, control and the like operations are actuated.

These and other objects are achieved by the apparatus according to the invention which comprises a multiple hopper, separation sectors in said hopper extending from the top towards the bottom thereof, transfer means with containers passing in front of said hopper, and which is characterized in that it comprises sectors have downward development boundaries such as to leave a different distance between the adjacent sectors and between their lower ends and the base plate of the hopper; a respective cradle sliding on said base plate and provided with indentations suitable to house, transversally to the direction of transfer and in side-by-side relationship the cigarettes descending between said sectors; means for imparting a movement to said cradles in synchronism with an intermittent advance of said transfer means; senser means arranged in manner such that each faces a relative cigarette; first cam means placed in synchronism with the intermittent advance movement of said transfer means; engagement means which transmit the movement controlled by said first cam means to said senser means, in order to impart to these latter a movement controlled by the presence of cigarettes; electrical contacts associated to said senser means and capable of closing the circuit of the members which control the entrance working with an expeller member; second cam means place in synchronism with said first cam means; lever members controlled by said second cam means, for re-carrying said expeller member into a position ready for a new expulsion; third cam means transmissively connected to said first and second cam means, and capable of controlling a member which co-operates with pincers of a transfer wheel; means for the control of said transfer means, and means for controlling the translation of the batches of cigarettes from the containers towards said transfer wheel.

These and still further characteristics and advantages will be better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, illustrated by way of the non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of part of the apparatus including the hopper, the transfer container means and part of the pincer wheel which removes and transfers the batches of cigarettes;

FIG. 1a shows, to an enlarged scale, a part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 shows, diagrammatically, the bottom entrance of the hopper in relation to one of the cradles;

FIG. 3 shows partially in View and partially in longitudinal sections, according to different planes defined by breaking at different points, a part of the apparatus, comprising the feeding station through the hopper, the mechanical cam group for controlling the intervention of the senser means and the mechanized means of the transfer means and a member co-operating with the pincer wheel;

FIG. 3a shows the continuation of FIG. 3, FIGS. 3 and 30 being read placed together along the line III-III;

FIGS. 4 and 4a show partially in side elevation and partially in vertical sections (orthogonal with respect to the general development of FIG. 3), according to different planes also defined by breaking in different points, the same parts as FIG. 3, FIGS. 4 and 4a being read placed together along the line IV-IV; and

FIG. 5 shows, to an enlarged scale, the senser means for the control of the existence of cigarettes and of their regularity.

With reference to said figures and particularly to FIGS. 1, 1a and 2, the apparatus comprises a hopper 1, of depth equal to the length of the cigarettes. More particularly the hopper 1 is internally subdivided into hopper members, indicated with 1a, 1b and 1c. These hoppers have the characteristic of containing sectors 2, which between others determine interstices equal in order of width to the diameter of a cigarette, where the sectors have, in section, a thickness greatest at the top, which progressively decreases towards the bottom. Advantageously the sectors 2 have a limited downward development in manner such as to maintain their bottom ends distanced from the bottom of the entrance members of the hoppers 1a, 1b and 1c. These distances are least for the central sectors and greatest for the sectors most distant from the central ones, as shown in FIG. 1, in relation to the hopper In. As is already known from our Italian Patent No. 803,347, the

bottom entrances 3 of the hopper are closed by plates 3a, 3b and 30, which, in order, are arranged in successively higher positions, so as to form the different layers of cigarettes inherent to each packet; in the given example three layers have been selected.

On each plate 3a, 3b and 30 a respective cradle 4a, 4b and 40 may slide, each of said cradles being positioned in a progressively higher plane with respect to the previous one (in the direction of advance of the transfer means, better described hereinafter).

Said cradles are carried by a crosspiece 5 placed in motion by a rod 6 actuated in a manner which will be seen hereinafter.

As already known, in the rear section, the hopper 1 has a slit, of suflicient height to allow the penetration of a respective cradle, while in the front section the hopper members have a respective counter-slit, of sufficient height to allow the exit of the layer of cigarettes above the plate 3a (3b and 3c) of the bottom entrance. In fact the cradles 4a, 4b and 4c, penetrating through the rear slits, push the layer of cigarettes out of the hoppers through said counterslits. Advantageously the cradles 4a, 4b and 4c have (see FIG. 2) indentations of circular arc form, said arcs being less than a semi-circle, and the bottom entrances 3 have a width equal to the sum of the diameters of the side-byside arrangement of cigarettes, which is possible through the absence of spaces like those which the sectors 2 may present extending towards the plates 30, 3b and 3c, and which indentations may determine it for instance the angular width were that of a semi-circle. Therefore occurs a gathering of the cigarettes in the entrances 3 which at the same time is serrated and delicate. In this sense the cradles on the one hand act as expellers for the layer resting on the bottom plate, and on the other hand act as seats for the cigarettes which have descended to replace those expelled.

The cigarettes, at the moment of the expulsion, are not further constrained but are expelled gently in order to form the successive layers in the containers 9 of a transfer means 10, which for instance may be a double chain. The cigarettes lay there transversally With respect to the direction of transfer indicated by an arrow F.

The cigarettes arrive at the hopper from a cigarette packaging machine situated upstream from the hopper and not shown.

The cigarettes acquire a certain order, due to the form of the hoppers members certain guide means known from the cited patent application and the sectors 2. A part 11 of the front wall of the hopper co-operates towards the formation of said order. Said part 11 is pivoted about the transverse shaft 12 and provided with an oscillating motion, as will be seen hereinafter.

More particularly the apparatus comprises a control shaft 13, on which is mounted a cog wheel 14 which engages with a cog wheel 15 rigidly mounted on a shaft 16. The cog wheel 15 has a pin 17, about which an end of a two-armed connecting rod 18 is articulated. The other end of said connecting rod 18 is carried idly on a pin 19 extending through a slot 15a of the said cog wheel 15. About said pin 19 is also articulated an end of a connecting rod 20, whose other end is articulated in 21 to a sleeve 22 rigid with the shaft 6 carrying the cradle expellers 4a, 4b, and 4c. The pin 19 moreover carries an idle roller 24, engaged inside a profiled groove 25 of a disc 26 mounted co-axially to the shaft 16 and the cog wheel 15. On said shaft 16 a cog wheel 27 is mounted, of such toothing as to mesh with a cog wheel 28 whose axis is perpendicular to that of the cog wheel 27. Said cog wheel 28 transmits the motion through a wheel 29 to cog wheel 30 rigid with a shaft 31.

The shaft 31 carries a cog wheel 32 in engagement with a counter cog wheel 33 of vertical axis and mounted rigidly with the vertical shaft 34. Said shaft 34, guided in its upper section by a bearing 35, carries a disc cam 36 rigidly mounted. With said disc cam 36 co-operates, in-

side a groove of shape slightly different from a circle, a roller 37 carried idly by a pin 37a extending upwardly in manner such as to enter an end hole 38 of a rod 39. Said end 38 is guided inside a rectilinear slit of a boss 38a of a cap 38b of the framework of the apparatus. The rod 39 is co-axial with a counter-rod 40 and co-operates with it in the form of a tappet. A spring 42 presses against a collar 41 of said counter-rod 40. Said spring 42 is wound on said rod 40 and rests in a housing situated on the rear wall 7 of the hopper. The counter-rod 40 passes through said rear wall 7 as well the front wall 11 of the hopper, terminating in a conical section 40a, preceded at the exit from the wall 11 by a groove 40b. Two plates 43, pivoted in their upper section in 44, are maintained in engagement with the counter-rod 40, penetrating in diametrically opposite area, into the said groove 4%. A shaped head 45 is situated between the two plates 43, and forms the end of a ball grip 47, revolvingly supported inside a hole in a cap 48 closing against the wall 11. It is evident that a rotation of the ball grip 47 causes the two plates 43 to diverge, allowing the release of the wall 11 from the counter-rod 40. The wall 11 is, as has been said, mounted in manner such as to be free to oscillate about the fulcrum 12, and it oscillates with the rhythm derived from the counter-rod 40. From what has been said the manner of determining the working of this part is obvious. A fork 40c, controlled by members not visible, confers a self contained thrust to the counter rod 49. This self-contained thrust separates the wall 11, in order to allow the feeding of the hopper, while the oscillating motion is an adjustment motion.

In its lower section, the wall 11a, which extends towards the base of the Wall 11, is maintained shut by a rod 49, articulated at a side in 49a to the Wall 11a, and at the other side in 49b to the wall 7. A counter spring 49d, secured at an end to the rod 49 and at the other end to a bracket 49c secured to the wall 7, brings the wall 11a into the closure position if it has been opened by means of previous upward lifting.

The apparatus comprises, as has been said, control mechanisms for the regularity of the presence of the cigarettes and mechanisms capable of expelling irregular batches.

These mechanisms comprise a cog-wheel 50, rigid with the shaft 13 and which engages With a pinion 51 rigid with a shaft 52 which penetrates into a box 53, inside which, on the shaft 52, are mounted, for rotation with the latter, a seizes of cam wheels, respectively indicated with 54, 55 and 56. With the groove of the cam wheel 54, co-operates a roller 57a idle on the end of a pin 57, Whose other end is slidingly guided by means of an idle roller 57b in fixed guides of said box 53. Said pin 57 is transversally secured to a rack 61 which is in engagement with an idle pinion which is also in engagement with another rack 58. Said racks 58 and 61 are slidingly supported in an axial direction by the said box 53 and extend externally of the box itself Where by means of support members 58a and 61a senser groups 59 and 59a are carried on either side of the transport chain 10. Said sensers groups 59 and 59a are arranged, one for each cigarette, in alignment with the position that the latter will occupy in a batch intended to form a packet. Through the pinion 60 the racks 58 and 61 thus receive a to and fro movement respectively in opposite direction, whence by means of the senser groups 59 and 59a, which are spring biased by weak springs, the cigarettes are axially touched at their two ends.

The absence of one or more cigarettes, of irregularities amongst these, indicated by the sensers, causes a non-opposed journey of at least one senser which is touched by electrical contacts (not shown), in a circuit which, in this situation, transmits a signal to an electro-magnet 62, capable of causing the retraction of a pin 63, which in non-retracted position intercepts the journey of a rod-like expeller 64, pushed forwards by a spring housed in a tubular housing 64a. Once the expeller 64 is pushed forwards, in order to determine the expulsion, it must be returned to its position of engagement with the pin 63. To this purpose a lever 66, fulcrumed about a fulcrum 67, is provided. Said lever 66 is connected, at an end, through links 66a with said expeller 64, in manner such that the lever is only forwardly entrained when the said expeller is released. The lever 66 also carries an idle roller 68 which is in contact with the profiled side of the cam wheel 55. Said cam wheel 55 has a deep indentation which is presented in front of the roller 68 at each rotation of the cam wheel 55, and more precisely at the moment in which the expulsion occurs, whence the entrainment of the lever from the side of the expeller is not impeded, this is controlled by the cam 55. Successively this indentation progressively diminishes. The expeller is released (which is dependent on the pin 63, because otherwise the roller 68 remains inert at the presentation of the indentation, that is it does not have the following power, entrained by the fixed expeller) the roller 68 and then the lever 66 are successively pushed 'by this form of the indentation until the position of oscillation of the lever and of the re-entry of the expeller into the position of readiness, intercepted by the pin 63.

The third cam wheel 56 is in engagement with a roller 69, carried idle by a pin 70 or a lever 71. The lower section of said lever 71, is mounted about a spindle 72, and the upper section 73 is bifurcated. Inside said bifurcated section 73 is revolvingly housed a pin 74, which through a link 75, controls a rod 76, which is in connection with a wall (not visible), which forms a lateral shoulder, adjacent to the ends of the jaws 77 of a transfer pincer wheel 78. In fact, initially the jaws are separated and then the said shoulder or wall is required in order to inpede the cigarettes which are pushed there, in manner which will be seen hereinafter, from falling out. The apparatus comprises, moreover, means for providing an intermittent movement of the transfer means, which in the specified case are formed by the double chain 10, and comprises means for providing a rotary-translational movement of a rod-like member designed to push shovel-wise the cigarettes from the containers 9 between the jaws of the pincer forming one of the pincer elements of the transfer wheel 78. More particularly, the apparatus comprises a cog wheel 80, rigidly mounted on the shaft 13 and in engagement with a cog wheel 81 rigidly mounted on a shaft 82. Said shaft 82 enters a box 83, and bears inside the box a cog wheel 84. Said cog wheel 84 is in engagement with a cog wheel 85 which has an eccentric pin 86 on which is mounted the end of a connecting rod 87 whose other end is pivoted in 88 to a lever 89, fulcrumed in 90 to the fixed part of the box 83, and articulated in 91 to a respective connecting rod 91a which is associated to a rod-like member 92 which terminates with a shovel 106 (see FIG. 1).

On the shaft 82 is moreover rigidly mounted a cog wheel 93 in engagement with a cog wheel 94 which bears a plate 95. To said plate 95 are pivoted, idly, rollers 96, capable of engaging, in known way, with a Maltese Cross wheel 97.

Said wheel 97 is thus actuated in intermittent manner, and retransmits such motion to a chain wheel pair b actuating said chain 10, through a shaft 10a.

On said shaft 82 is further keyed a cam wheel 98, in Whose groove 99 is engaged a roller 100, carried idle by a lever 161 at one of its intermediate points. An end of said lever 101 is articulated in 101a (see FIG. 3), while the other end is articulated in 101b, to the rod 102, which through the articulation 102a is associated to an appendage 103 of a sleeve support 104. Said sleeve 104 is revolvingly mounted about its longitudinal axis, on a bush 107 of the fixed part 105 of the box 83. Inside said bush in mounted coincident with its longitudinal axis, the rodlike member 92, in manner such as to be rotationally rigid with the sleeve support 104. To this object, on the rod 92 is secured a sleeve 92a with an upper appendage terminating with an idle 92b, sliding in a longitudinal groove 1040 of said support sleeve 104.

A revolving part of the sleeve 92a (which is seen to be rigid with the rod-like mmeber 92) has, at the point in which the respective connecting rod 91a is articulated to it, a pin 92b, carrying at its opposite ends 2; corresponding idle roller 92c guided in a respective groove, produced in the fixed part 108 of the box 83. In this manner the rectilinear characteristic of the axial movement in concomitance with a rotation of the rod-like member 92 is ensured.

It is now evident that a rotation of the shaft 82 and thus of the wheel 98, causes a pendulum rotational movement in the support 104, a movement which is transmitted to the rod-like member 92, in manner such that this acquires a to-and-fro motion, axial and a pendulum rotational movement. During an excursion of this pendular motion the advance occurs of the rod-like member 92, which is consequently transmitted to the shovel 106. This shovel is thus caused to enter in a container 9 which in that moment is in front of the latter pushing the cigarettes inside said jaws which delicately house them, in order to carry them towards successive parts of the conditioning-packaging machine. To avoid interference of the shovel 106 with the successive containers 9, said shovel eifects at this point the pendulum rotational movement, rising with respect to the plane of the chain pair 10, and returning, due to the retrocessional movement of the rod-like member 92, into the primitive position.

The apparatus thus conceived is subject to numerous modifications and variations all lying Within the ambit of the invention as claimed hereinbelow.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for preparing cigarette batches, including a hopper having a plurality of fan-shaped compartments defined by vertical separating walls, a conveyor having containers passing in front of said hopper for accepting cigarettes from each compartment, transfer means for loading said containers from said compartments, comprising a plurality of trays having parallel grooves representing the contour of a cigarette, said grooves being of a length capable of accepting two cigarettes laying in end-to-end relationship.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein, for the simultaneous formation of three batches of cigarettes, said transfer trays comprise a single assembly attached to a sliding rod for simultaneous displacement.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the transfer element for batches of cigarettes from said conveyor to a packaging machine comprises a scoop extending radially from a shaft movable in axial direction, said shaft being capable of rotary motion by means of discs carrying levers and push rods which exert on said shaft, and thereby on said scoop, a back and forth pendulous movement.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein feelers are provided alongside said conveyor which extend in the direction axial to the cigarettes in the trays and in tactile contact therewith for sensing their presence, said feelers being connected to an electromagnet which, upon the presence of a defective bundle of cigarettes, is energized and releases a catch holding a rod so that the latter is moved by a spring for ejection of the defective batch of cigarettes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,435,940 4/1969 Seragnoli 19835 RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 198-53 

